Yarn package doffing apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

An improved method and apparatus for doffing wound packages of strand materials and donning empty cores for resumption of winding, in which the mounting of an empty core onto a core supporting arm is particularly facilitated by slowing movement of the arm as the arm returns to a winding position and an empty core is donned.

United States Patent [191 Venot YARN PACKAGE DOFFING APPARATUS AND METHOD [75] Inventor: Jean V. Venot, Villerest, France [73] Assignee: Jonathan Logan, New York, NY.

[22] Filed: Nov. 16, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 199,291

[52] US. Cl 242/18 A, 242/19, 242/35.5 A [51] Int. Cl. B65h 54.02 [58] Field of Search 242/18 A, l8 PW,

242/18 R, 19, 25 A, 35.5 A, 35.5 R

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,429,514 2/1969 Pospisil et al 242/18 A 3,507,453 4/1970 Scragg et a1. 242/18 R 3,572,597 3/1971 Parker et al. 242/18 A 3,682,403 8/1972 Willis 242/18 A Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath Attorney-Daniel E. McConnell [57] ABSTRACT An improved method and apparatus for doffing wound packages of strand materials and donning empty cores for resumption of winding, in which the mounting of an empty core onto a core supporting arm is particularly facilitated by slowing movement of the arm as the arm returns to a winding position and an empty core is donned.

23 Claims, 26 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUHZB ms SHEEF U l 0F PATENTEnJunzs 191a sum as 0? amm u PATENIEDJUM26 I973 SHEET 07 0F PATENTEnJuu as I973 3.741.490

mm 100i 1? PATENTEDaunzs I915 SHEEI 11 0F PATENTED JUN 26 i975 SHEET 13 0F PATENTEDJUN 26 1975 SHEET 1'4 0F with reference to certain textile strand handling processes where the interruption of strand movement presents difficulty, such as the texturing of synthetic textile yarn, it has been proposed to take up a length of yarn processed by the strand handling apparatus during the interval of time required to doff a wound package and donn an empty core.

While such proposals have successfully solved problems theretofore appearing in certain textile strand FIG. 11 is a side elevation, partially in section, of a portion of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 which manually controls a priority call for doffing;

FIG. 12 is a view from above of the mechanism shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a drive arrangement included in an apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

handling operations, most notably the texturing of synthetic textile yarn, it has been discovered during application of such proposals that enhanced reliability of operation can be obtained by certain improvements in such an apparatus and method. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to further facilitate the doffing and donning of wound packages and empty cores in an arrangement where delivery of a textile strand material continues throughout such doffing and donning. In realizing this object of the present invention, the capture of an empty core to be donned at a winding position is particularly facilitated by a slowing of the movement of a core supporting arm froma doffing position back to a winding position. Through such an intermediate slowing or pause in movement of the arm, enhanced reliability in the capturing of a core being donned is achieved.

Some of the objects and advantages of the invention having been stated, others will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the ac-.

companying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of an apparatus incorporating the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a viewsimilar'to FIG. 1, taken from a different point of view and showing a core supporting arm in position for donning of an empty core;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation, partially in section, of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2, showing the winding position of a package being formed and an intermediate position during package doffing;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing a wound package in the doffed position;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged front elevation, partially in section and broken away, of core supporting arms incorporated in the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, taken from the opposite side of the apparatus in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 7 is an elevation, broken away, of a portion of a package core holding arm of FIGS. 5 and 6;

FIG. 8 is a detail, partially in section, of an electromagnetically controlled selective coupling arrangement for a core supporting arm and of certain control cam elements;

FIG. 9 is a view from above, partially in section, of

the arrangement shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 isa rear elevation, partially broken away, of a portion of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2, which stores empty cores to be donned;

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing on a side view the displacements of a core supporting arm and associated elements during movement between winding and doffing positions;

FIGS. 15 and 16 are front elevations corresponding to certain points of arm movement in the diagram of FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram showing the positions of a core supporting arm during movement from the doffing position to a positionat which an empty core is captured;

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram showing the relative angular positions of the coupling arrangement of FIG. 8 during package winding, during resumption of winding following donning of the core and during doffing;

FIG. 19 is a view similar to the view of FIG. 18 illustrating certain control operations;

FIG. 20 is a fragmentary view from above showing the three cams of FIGS. 8 and 19 together with associated electrical switches;

FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram showing the detection of the return of a core supporting arm to the winding position;

FIG. 22 is a view similar to FIG. 21 showing an arrangement for sensing when a wound package has'become of such size as to require doffing;

FIG. 23 is a chart graphically illustrating the operations of various elements of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIGS. 24, 25 and 26 are'electrical circuit diagrams illustrating portions of a control system for the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 as incorporated into a multiple station synthetic yarn texturing machine.

The detailed disclosure which follows hereinafter shall proceed with particular reference to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings. At the outset, however, it is to be understood that this detailed disclosure and the illustration set forth in the drawings are of a preferred embodiment only and are not to be construed as limiting upon the broad utility contemplated for this invention.

In the embodiment of the drawings, an apparatus for processing a plurality of textile yarns, such as a synthetic yarn texturing machine, is provided with means at each working station of the apparatus for automatically changing or removing fully wound packages. This means comprises a core holding fork formed by a pair of substantially parallel arms 101a, 101b which extend radially from an oscillating rotary shaft 102. The pair of arms or fork are adapted to swing about a longitudinal axis of the shaft 102 while carrying between the free outer ends thereof a package core 103, thereby moving the package core from a winding position (FIG. 3), wherein a package 104 being wound is held in rolling engagement with a package drive roll 105, to a doffing position (FIG. 4). In the doffing position, the arms 101a, 101k are withdrawn from the package drive roll 105 and are spread apart to release the wound package 104 to a receiving chute 106.

Each of the parallel arms 101a, 1011; is a portion of a corresponding one of a pair of levers pivotally mounted on two pins 107a, 107b which extend at right angles to the shaft 102. The pins 107a, 107b are carried by a yoke 108 which is mounted for free rotation on the shaft 102 through a pair of spaced bearings 108a, 108k. The outboard free ends of the arms 101a, 101b each carry corresponding ones of two centering elements 109a, 10% respectively mounted for free rotation about a substantially horizontal axis 110 parallel to the shaft 102. Each of the centering elements 109a, 10% is a generally circular or disc-like member comprising a substantially tapered or conical portion projecting towards the opposite centering element and adapted to fit into the corresponding end of a core 103 for rotatably supporting the core. The empty core desirably is a tube made of paperboard or the like which is held tightly by being clamped between the arms 101a, 101b of the core holding fork in such a manner that the centering elements 109a, 10% enter the respective opposite ends of the core 103. Through frictional contact of the centering elements 109a, 1091) with the core 103, the rotary motion of the core is transmitted to the centering elements.

The levers which include the arms 101a, llb also have corresponding second legs or limbs 111a, lllb extending generally parallel with the shaft 102 and toward one another. One of the legs 111a is overlapped at its free end by the corresponding end of the other leg lllb and is in engagement therewith, so that movement of the one leg 111a will be transmitted to the other leg lllb. One lever also has an actuating projection 112 which has a cam following roller 113 at a free end thereof. By engagement of the cam following roller 113 with a cam member 114, the levers are moved in rotation about their respective pivot axes 107a, 107b to spread apart or open the arms 101a, 101b and thereby free or release a package clamped therebetween. The cam member 114 is carried by a shaft 115 extending in parallel relation to the oscillating shaft 102 and moving in axially reciprocating translation. The cam member 114 comprises an arcuate guide track 114a extending in substantially concentric relation to the oscillating shaft 102 (FIG. 3), the function of which will be explained hereinafter.

A return spring 116 acting on the leg 101b of one of said levers brings the core holding arms 101a, 101b back into their closed position of clamping a core 103 when the lever 112 is released.

Preferably, one of the core holding arms 101b has an arrangement for braking the package core 103, in the form of locking device for a corresponding centering element 109); (FIG. 7). This braking system comprises a pin 117 carried by the centering element and extending horizontally or in parallel relation to the axis of rotation 110 to project towards the arm 101b and a cooperating hookor latch-like lever 118 mounted at a pivot 119 on the arm 101b. A nose 120 of the lever 118 catches the pin 117 during rotation of the centering element 109!) to lock it against motion. For this purpose, the end of the lever 118 opposite the nose 120 is connected by a pivot pin 121 to an upper end of an actuating link 122 and thereby connected at 123 to a bell crank or bent lever 124 mounted at a pivot 125 on the fork holding yoke 108. To avoid abnormal stresses, the pivotal connection 121 is preferably slidably mounted within an elongated longitudinal slot or groove 126 of the top end of the link 122 and is subjected to the action of a return spring 127 one end of which is fastened to the link 122 and the other to the movable pivotal connection 121, so as to urge the lever 118 to turn in the direction of rotation for braking. A return spring 128 acts upon the bent lever 124 in the brake releasing direction to urge the nose to move away from the pin 117 and free or disengage the centering element 10%. The bent lever 124 comprises a free arm 129 adapted to engage a stationary guide ramp or operating cam 130 (FIG. 4) upon pivoting of the package core holding arms 101a, 101b and to actuate said locking system to cause the associated centering element 10% to stop and accordingly brake rotation of the package core supported between said core holding arms.

The fork holding yoke 108 comprises a radially projecting lug 131, located substantially in a central plane of the fork at right angles to the oscillating shaft 102, which is adapted upon swinging motion of the fork to open a closure cap or cover 132 closing the top end of a tube 153 (FIG. 3) which forms a pneumatic yarn sucking nozzle. The flap cover 132 is mounted on a pivot 133 with one arm 133a located in the downward directed path of travel of the lug 131 and is biased by a return spring 134 so arranged with respect to the pivot 133 that opening and closing of the cover are effected in a snap-like fashion.

A selective clutch coupling (FIG. 5) connects the core-holding fork 101a, 101b temporarily with the oscillating shaft 102 for unitary rotation therewith. This clutch essentially comprises a tubular sleeve 135 mounted for free rotation on the oscillating shaft 102 and supporting an electro-magnet 136 having a rod armature 136 reciprocating in translatory motion parallel to the oscillating shaft 102 (FIGS. 8 and 9). The outer free end of this rod 136 co-operates with one end of a rocking or tilting lever 138 (FIG. 8), pivotally mounted at 139 on the sleeve 135 and also co-operating with an adjacent end of a locking pin 140 which is slidably mounted in a guide bushing 141 and extends parallel to the oscillating shaft 102. A return spring 142 biases the pin 140 toward the unlocking direction (from right to left on FIGS. 5 and 8). The sleeve 135 or bushing 141 is resiliently connected to the fork-holding yoke 108 by a coil spring 143 extending between a spring seating cup 144 and the sleeve 135. The locking pin 140 may enter a corresponding hole 145 of a coupling element 146 integral with the oscillating shaft 102 when the bore of the bushing 141 and the hole 145 register in aligned relationship with each other.

The spring 143 is slidably mounted coaxially on a guide rod 147 which terminates at a bottom portion in a lug pivotally mounted at 148 on the sleeve 135.

An electrical switch 149 for self-energizing or holding the electro-magnet or solenoid 136 is associated with and actuated by the solenoid.

Three cams 150, 151 and 152 are mounted on the sleeve 135 for operating three corresponding electrical switch contacts (FIGS. 1, 8, 9 and 20). A first cam mechanically operates the closing of the cover 132 of the suction nozzle 153 and actuates an electric switch 154 for energizing a heated electrical yarn cutter adjacent the suction nozzle 153. A second cam 151 actuates an electric switch 155 signaling the end of a doff- 

1. In a yarn processing machine which continually advances at least one yarn at a corresponding one location and which has arm means for mounting package cores about which advancing yarn is wound into packages, core supply means for retaining a supply of empty cores, oscillating shaft means for driving said arm means from a winding position to a doffing position and to a donning position and back to the winding position, arm actuating means cooperating with said arm means for doffing a package moved by said arm means to the doffing position and for capturing an empty core from said core supply means at the donning position, severing means for separating a package being doffed from the advancing yarn and forming a running free end of advancing yarn, and control means for controlling the running free end of advancing yarn during doffing and donning, an improvement facilitating doning of empty cores by said arm means and comprising drive means operatively connected with said shaft means for driving said shaft means in predetermined oscillation at a first velocity from a first rotational position through a second rotational position to a third rotational position and then in return to said second position and, after slowing to a lower velocity at said second position, back to said first position whereby donning of an empty core onto said arm means at said second position is facilitated.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a plUrality of yarns are simultaneously advanced at a corresponding plurality of locations and wherein said shaft means functions for driving said arm means of at least two of said locations and further comprising at least two selectively operable clutch means for operatively connecting corresponding ones of said at least two arm means with said common shaft means and doffing sequence control means operatively connected with said clutch means for normally selectively operating said clutch means one at a time in predetermined sequence as required.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said doffing sequence control means comprises at least two package size detecting means for sensing when a corresponding package being wound at a corresponding one of said at least two locations reaches a predetermined diameter and stepping means operatively connected to said size detecting means and responsive thereto for sequentially testing the need for doffing at each of said at least two locations and for operating said clutch means only where doffing is needed.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising manually operable doffing control means for overriding said doffing sequence control means and for selectively operating one of said clutch means out of sequence and on manual actuation.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said drive means is operatively connected with said doffing sequence control means and is responsive thereto for interrupting the reciprocating rotation of said shaft means during such interval of time as operation of said clutch means is not required.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said yarn handling means further includes a drive roll parallel to and spaced from said shaft means and for engaging and rotating a package being wound and further wherein said control means comprises suction tube means aligned with a line perpendicular to said shaft means and medial of said arm means for drawing in an advancing yarn passing thereadjacent, cover means for normally closing said suction tube means, and cam means for opening said cover means during movement of said arm means to the doffing position.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said suction tube means is disposed to the side of said shaft means opposite said drive roll so as to underlie the advancing yarn upon movement of said arm means to the doffing position.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising brake means operable in timed relation to movement of said arm means for braking rotation of a package upon movement of said arm means to the doffing position.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 8 further comprising yarn severing means operable in timed relation to said brake means for severing stationary yarn following braking of the package and thereby for separating the package from the advancing yarn.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a drive roll means is mounted parallel to and spaced from said shaft means for engaging and rotating a package being wound and further wherein said arm means comprises a hub member mounted on said shaft means for selective oscillation therewith, first and second arm members mounted on said hub member, and elastically deformable means operatively coupling said hub member and said arm members for normal movement together, said deformable means accommodating relative movement between said hub member and said arm members during return movement of said shaft means to said first position and thereby permitting exertion of pressure between said drive roll and a donned empty core and facilitating formation of a new package.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising tail forming yarn guide means operable in timed relation to movement of said arm means for engaging advancing yarn to be wound about a newly donned empty core and for guiding the yarn to wind an initial length about a portion of said empty core adjacent one end thereof.
 12. In a textile yarn handling machine which continually advances yarn and which has Arm means for mounting package cores about which advancing yarn is wound into packages, oscillating shaft means for driving said arm means from a winding position to a doffing position and back to the winding position, arm actuating means cooperating with said arm means for doffing a package moved by said arm means to the doffing position, and severing means for separating a package being doffed from the advancing yarn, an improvement facilitating separation of a doffed package from an advancing yarn and comprising aligned opposing disk means mounted on said arm means for engaging corresponding end portions of a core gripped therebetween and for rotating therewith during package winding, and brake means responsive to movement of said arm means to the doffing position for locking one of said disk means against rotation relative to said arm means and thereby for braking rotation of a package being doffed.
 13. In a synthetic yarn texturing machine which continually advances textured yarn and which has yarn handling means for winding an advancing yarn about a core into a package which includes a drive roll for engaging and rotating a package being wound, oscillating shaft means spaced from and parallel to said drive roll for reciprocating rotation relative thereto, a hub member mounted on said shaft means for selective rotation therewith, and first and second arm members mounted on said hub member for moving wound packages from a winding position to a doffing position and moving empty cores from a donning position back to the winding position, an improvement which facilitates initiation of yarn winding about a newly donned core and comprising elastically deformable means operatively coupling said hub member and said arm members for normal movement together, said deformable means accommodating relative movement between said hub member and said arm members during movement of said arm members back to the winding position and thereby permitting exertion of pressure between said drive roll and a donned empty core.
 14. In a yarn production process including continually advancing yarn, mounting a core on an arm and winding the advancing yarn about the core and into a package, moving a wound package from a winding position to a doffing position and doffing the package from the arm while severing the advancing yarn to separate the package and form a running free end of advancing yarn, and controlling the running free end of advancing yarn while moving the arm to a donning position and donning an empty core onto the arm and moving the empty core to the winding position, an improvement facilitating donning of empty cores onto the arm and comprising moving an oscillating drive shaft in predetermined oscillation from a first rotational position at a first velocity through a second rotational position to a third rotational position and then in return to the second position and, after slowing to a lower velocity at the second position, back to the first position, and driving the arm from the shaft whereby donning of an empty core is facilitated by the slower movement of the arm means at the donning position.
 15. A process according to claim 14 wherein a plurality of yarns are simultaneously advanced and wound into a corresponding plurality of packages at a corresponding plurality of arm locations and the oscillating drive shaft is common to at least two arm locations and further comprising selectively operatively connecting corresponding ones of the at least two arms with the shaft one at a time and in predetermined sequence as required.
 16. A process according to claim 15 further comprising sensing the winding of a package to a predetermined size and, upon a package reaching such a size, testing the need for doffing at each of the at least two arm locations and doffing only at those locations where needed.
 17. A process according to claim 16 further comprising scanning stepwise the need for doffing at each arm location, detecting the end of a previous doffing operation, and iniTiating doffing at another arm location in response to such scanning and detecting.
 18. A process according to claim 15 further comprising manually selecting an arm for connection out of sequence.
 19. A process according to claim 14, wherein the controlling of the running free end comprises mechanically actuating a suction yarn entrapping mechanism in response to movement of the package to the doffing position.
 20. A process according to claim 14, further comprising braking a wound package against rotation during severing of the yarn and discharging the package in an immovable condition into a receiving chute.
 21. A process according to claim 14, wherein winding is effected by rotating a core through frictional contact with a winding drive roll and further comprising resiliently pressing a donned empty core against the winding drive roll to facilitate winding of the free end of yarn thereabout.
 22. In a textile yarn handling process including continually advancing yarn, mounting a core on an arm and winding the advancing yarn about the core and into a package, moving a wound package from a winding position to a doffing position and doffing the package from the arm while severing the advancing yarn to separate the package and form a running free end of advancing yarn, and controlling the running free end of advancing yarn while moving the arm to a donning position and donning an empty core onto the arm and moving the empty core to the winding position, an improvement facilitating donning of empty cores onto the arm and comprising moving an oscillating drive shaft in predetermined oscillation and driving the arm from the shaft to displace the arm at a first velocity from the winding position to the doffing position and then to the donning position and, after slowing to a lower velocity at the donning position, back to the winding position whereby donning of an empty core is facilitated by the slower movement of the arm means at the donning position.
 23. In a textile yarn handling machine which continually advances yarn and which has arm means for mounting package cores about which advancing yarn is wound into packages, core supply means for retaining a supply of empty cores, oscillating shaft means for driving said arm means from a winding position to a doffing position and to a donning position and back to the winding position, arm actuating means cooperating with said arm means for doffing a package moved by said arm means to the doffing position and for capturing an empty core from said core supply means at the donning position, severing means for separating a package being doffed from the advancing yarn and forming a running free end of advancing yarn, and control means for controlling the running free end of advancing yarn during doffing and donning, an improvement facilitating donning of empty cores and comprising drive means operatively connected with said shaft means for driving said shaft means in predetermined oscillation and for displacing said arm means at a first velocity from the winding position to the doffing position and then to the donning position and, after slowing movement of said arm means to a lower velocity at the donning position, back to said winding position whereby donning of an empty core is facilitated by the slower movement of said arm means at the donning position. 